Outlet box hanger



Dec. 5, 1961 H. MAGEE 3,011,747

OUTLET BOX HANGER Filed March 2s, 19Go HnRoLo NA G55 /9 BY A TTORNE Y United States Patent O 3,011,747 OUTLET BOX HANGER Harold Magee, 3247 Drew St., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Mar. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 18,202 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-216) My invention relates generally to electrical fixtures and more particularly to devices for supporting outlet boxes as used in electric wiring installations.

An object of my invention is to provide a device in the nature of a bracket or hanger which is structurally characterized by means enabling the hanger to be rigidly secured to a member of a building frame such as a ceiling rafter, joist or stud with the utmost ease and dispatch by a hammer or other driving tool without the need for any extraneous fastening means, all in such manner as to enable an outlet box to be instantly applied to the hanger and locked thereto to rigidly support any fixture or other service load from the hanger with absolute security and safety. v

Another object of my invention is to provide a hanger of the above described character which is of simple, compact, one-piece construction capable of being inexpensively produced in quantity to enable the hanger to be economically used universally in any location requiring an outlet box of any type.

With these and other objects in View, my invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIGURE l is a view showing in plan, one form of outlet box hanoer embodying my invention and illustrating the hanger supporting an outlet box from a building frame member;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of FIGURE l FlGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detail plan view of the hanger;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the hanger in side elevation; and

FIGURE 6 is a view of the hanger in end elevation.

Referring speciiically to the drawings, the hanger H embodying my invention is preferably constructed from sheet metal strip stock of the requisite gage bent into generally L shape to provide angularly related portions respectively forming a relatively long arm 10 and a relatively short arm 11. From the free end of the arm 11 angularly projects a fastening portion 12 extending approximatelyy parallel and in a direction opposite to that of the arm 10.

The portion 12 is bifurcated at 13 to provide spaced holding elements in the form of prongs 14 the confronting edges 15 of which diverge relatively to the pointed ends 16 of the prongs as shown in FIGURE 4 and define cam surfaces which co-act with a building frame member such as a rafter, joist or stud M in a manner to be later described. The pointed ends 16 of the prongs are also beveled laterally at 17 to provide other cam surfaces co-acting with the cammng edges 15.

Punched from the arm 11 at its junction with the arm 10 so as to extend in the general direction of the prongs 14 and in spaced relation thereto is a third holding element in the form of a prong 18 which is longitudinally curved at 19 and is co-actable with the prongs 14 as will be later fully described. The free end of the arm 10 is reduced in width and bent laterally to terminate in a locking element in the form of a hook 20 adapted to be closely received in one of a number of openings 21 proa ICC vided in the bottom wall 22 of a conventional outlet box B.

Punched from the arm 10 to project perpendicularly from the same side of the arm as the hook 20 at a distance from the latter to be closely received in another one of the openings 21 of the outlet box is a pilot or alining element in the form of a at pin or finger 24. The outlet box is further provided in each of its side walls 25 with two openings 26 through which fastening members such as nails 27 are driven in the operation of the invention which is as follows:

The hanger H is first secured to a building frame member M by utilizing the arm 11 to drive the prongs 14 and 1S into the side of the member with blows of a hammer delivered against the outer surface of the arm directly opposite the prongs until the arm seats solidly against the frame member with the hanger located a predetermined distance inwardly from the outer face of the frame member as shown in FIGURE 2. As the prongs 14 and 18 are driven into the member M, the cam surfaces 15 of the prongs 14 spread the latter as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 3, whereas the cam surfaces 17 of the prongs 14 deflect or bend the prongs laterally as shown by the arrow in FIGURE 2. Also, the curved shape of the prong 18 anchors the latter firmly in the frame member, all to the end of solidly and rigidly fastening the hanger to the frame member.

The outlet box is now applied to the hanger H by rst manipulating the box in a manner for the hook 20 to enter the respective opening 21 inthe bottom wall 22 of the box, after which the box is pivoted about the hook until the pin 24 projects through the opening 21 and the ibottom wall 22 seats tightly against the arm 10 with a side Wall 25 of the box contiguous to the frame member M, all as shown in FIGURE 2. With the box held in this position, the nails 27 are driven through'the openings 26 in said side wall of the box for co-action with the hanger in rigidly supporting the box from the member.

lt will be noted that in lieu of the nails 27, the pin 24 can be utilized to also function as a locking element by being bent over tightly against the bottom wall 22 of the outlet box as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2, so as co-act vwith the hook 20 in rigidly securing the box to the hanger, all to the end of facilitating and expediting installation of the box.

I claim:

l. A bracket hanger for stabilizing and supporting an electrical outlet box from a building frame member, composed of a length of sheet metal strip stock bent intermediate its ends to provide two right angularly disposed and relatively long and short arms, respectively; said short arm being bifurcated at its end to provide two spaced l prongs projecting substantially right angularly from said short arm in a direction opposite to that of said long arm and diverging from each other along their confronting edges to terminate in pointed extremities and provide cam surfaces adapted to co-act with a building frame member in spreading the prongs therein when driven into the member; said short arm having a third prong projecting in the same general direction as and in spaced relation to said two prongs so as to also be driven into the frame member to rigidly secure the bracket thereto; said long arm being reduced in width at its free end and being bent laterally to terminate in a hook adapted to be closely received in one of a number of openings in the bottom wall of an electrical outlet box; said long arm having an alining iinger projecting from the same side as said hook and adapted to ne closely received in another of said outlet box openings for co-action with said hook and with one or more nails driven through other openings in a side wall of the outlet box into the frame member to rigidly support the outlet box from the frame member.

2. A bracket hanger as embodied in claim 1 wherein said pointed ends of said two prongs are beveled laterally to provide other cam surfaces adapted to effect curling 5 of said pointed ends when said two prongs are driven into the frame member, so as to increase the holding power of such prongs; said nger being of suicieut length to render it capable of being bent tightly against the bottom Wall of the outlet box to rigidly secure the latter to the 10 bracket in lieu of using a nail or nails.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Miles June 14, 1870 Brown July 6, 1875 Newman Aug. 24, 1926 Barnett June 2, 1931 Schluter June 29, 1954 Bowers Sept. 7, 1954 Cardinal Apr. 30, 1957 Appleton Mar. 31, 1959 

